


Catnip

by bisexuallaurel



Category: Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec really wants to take care of Magnus, Chairman Meow is not amused and just wants his food, Developing Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Magnus thinks Alec is really cute, Romance, protective!Alec, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-16
Updated: 2016-03-16
Packaged: 2018-05-27 03:32:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6267856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bisexuallaurel/pseuds/bisexuallaurel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec stared at the silver key, slowly turning it over in his hand. It was small, about the size of his little finger, and cold against his skin. It seemed to sparkle in his hand. He wasn’t sure if there was an actual glow to the silver or if it was just his nerves getting the best of him. Then again, if there were a key in the world that sparkled, it would be the key to Magnus Bane’s apartment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>or, the one where Alec is nervous about using his key to Magnus' apartment for the first time, and somehow ends up trying to patch up his exasperated not-yet-boyfriend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Catnip

Alec stared at the silver key, slowly turning it over in his hand. It was small, about the size of his little finger, and cold against his skin. It seemed to sparkle in his hand. He wasn’t sure if there was an actual glow to the silver or if it was just his nerves getting the best of him. Then again, if there were a key in the world that sparkled, it would be the key to Magnus Bane’s apartment.

He shook his head and gripped the key firmly, staring decisively at hole it fit into. He could do this. He had been seeing Magnus on the downlow for weeks now, maybe even months. He forbid himself from counting the days. The last time he had been over - his skin tingled at the thought of it - had been a week ago.

\---------

 

For the second time that week, they had planned for Alec to stay the night, prompting him to expertly sneak out of the Institute when everyone was asleep that night. He was good at sneaking around at this point.

When he arrived outside the Brooklyn apartment, he nervously pressed the buzzer over the bit of tape that read "Bane", nervously fiddling with the cuff of his leather jacket.

"Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn, how may I help you?" Magnus' voice floated over the intercom.

Alec grinned at the use of his full title. "Alexander Lightwood, Shadowhunter and fighter of demons," he responded cheekily.

He could almost feel the smile through the intercom. "Come on up, Alexander."

The door clicked and he pulled it open, taking the steps two at a time. When he reached Magnus' landing, he was standing in the doorway waiting for him.

The sight made Alec's heart twitch.

With a soft, domestic kiss to Alec's cheek, Magnus welcomed him in.

A welcome drink and some flirtatious banter later, they sat down for the meal Magnus had made him- well, he had conjured it up, refusing to tell Alec where it was from when he asked.

“It won’t be missed,” was all he would say, and Alec shrugged it off. This was Magnus' world, surely he knew what he was doing.

They had a lovely dinner, with Alec sneaking glances of Magnus when he thought he wasn’t watching, and Magnus unabashedly admiring Alec in return, not shying away from telling him just how gorgeous he was.

Right from the beginning, Magnus had known exactly what to say to make the tips of Alec’s ears turn red.

After dinner, Magnus cleared the table with a snap of his fingers. With a gentle hand at the small of Alec’s back, he guided him to the sitting room, urging him to sit down at the couch. At the blink of an eye, Alec had a crystal wine glass in his hand, and at the living room table sat an expensive-looking bottle of wine. He eyed it suspiciously, while Magnus chuckled to himself.

“It’s from the kitchen,” he said. Then, shifting so their knees touched, he leaned over to pour them both a glass.

Alec couldn’t help but suck in a breath, as the scent of Magnus wafted over him. There were no words to describe Magnus’ scent, other than that Alec was sure it could be sold as a perfume for thousands of dollars. As usual when Alec’s thoughts carried him far away from his present company, he was stirred back to reality by Magnus suddenly leaning back into his personal space, a warm hand on his thigh.

“Where did you go, darling?” he murmured, his thumb rubbing a slow circle into the fabric of Alec’s jeans.

“Sorry,” Alec mumbled, eyes tracing the movement of Magnus’ thumb.

“It’s quite alright,” he assured him, his hand leaving Alec’s thigh, turning away to turn on the TV.

“You don’t have to stop.”

The quiet encouragement had frozen Magnus in place, half-bent over in his attempt to retrieve the remote control. He straightened back up and turned to Alec, a small smile on his lips. “Look at you, telling me what you want.”

For a second, Alec had worried that that wasn’t what Magnus wanted. Maybe he was only attracted to Alec because he was so inexperienced with all… this. Maybe Magnus only liked him because he was... untouched, and Magnus got off on knowing he was the only one who had ever touched him. But before his mind had time to discredit the magic between them, he felt Magnus’ hand back on his thigh, the other hand cupping his chin. “I like it.”

Alec wasn’t sure he would ever get over the bizarre knowledge that Magnus - this gorgeous, centuries-old warlock with unimaginable power and courtiers tripping over each other in their urge to be with him - was choosing to spend his time with Alec of all people. Magnus, with his extravagant clothes, charcoal black eyeshadow and glitter dusting his skin, hair and under his eyes. Alec had never seen him look anything less than perfect, and it was disconcerting. Magnus had seen Alec in all sorts of unattractive states, including half-torn apart after a particularly nasty mission, with black-eyes and various other ugly injuries. More often than not, Alec wasn’t looking his best when he was with Magnus, while Magnus always had freshly manicured hands and the ever-present glitter sprinkled everywhere, even if he sometimes reserved it only for his dark, coiffed-up hair.

Alec had been sure that Magnus was about to kiss him, and he was chewing on the inside of his lip just waiting for those soft lips on his, but Magnus just kept staring at him, hand still cradling his chin.

“Magnus?” he mumbled after a while, searching the other’s eyes for any sign of what he was thinking.

At hearing his name, Magnus shook his head and smiled gently. “Sorry. I was just thinking… hold on.”

With the grace of a cat, he stood up and went into his bedroom, returning only seconds after with his fingers clasped around a small, glittering object.

And that was how Alec had been offered a key - the only key, in fact, other than Magnus’ own - to Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of Brooklyn’s apartment. He had been shocked into silence for what seemed like minutes, hours, before his body reacted to the gesture, and he surged forward to capture Magnus' lips, almost knocking him over as he did so.

That was the best sex they’d had since they met.

\-------

Suddenly, Alec was torn from his reminiscing and brought back to the present by a loud noise coming from inside the apartment. A loud bang, and then a shriek. Alec’s hand instinctively went to his seraph blade.

_It can’t be anything demonic_ , he thought, quickly running through the alternatives in his head. _This place is too protected to allow in stray demons._

The alerting noise jolted him into his Shadowhunter mindset, and his worries about using the key for the first time were replaced by concerns for what he might face on the other side of the door. He decided not to waste more time. Magnus could be in mortal danger for all he knew.

He slid the key into the lock and turned, slowly pulling it open and slipping the little key into the pocket of his jacket before slowly entering, peering into the apartment.

He gently closed the door after him, hoping to sneak up on whoever - or whatever - was in the apartment.

There was no sound of a battle going on, nothing to indicate what was happening.

With his hand gripping his seraph blade, every nerve in his body on alert, he entered the apartment, slowly making his way through the entrance hall. Still no sound, except his own heartbeat thrumming in his ears. And then-

“ _Chairman!_ What have I told you? Shame on you!”

He stopped in his tracks as he reached the kitchen, his eyes wide.

Magnus was stood in the middle of the kitchen, wearing a black silk robe with pink emblazonments and a green towel turban wrapped around his head. In his hands he held his cat, Chairman Meow, on arm’s length, still speaking to him in a harsh tone. “I’ve told you not to go into the pantry, how many times-”

Alec’s seraph blade clattered to the floor, making Magnus whip around, his otherwise yellow-green eyes swiftly changing, his pupils slimming into small slits and his iris turning a bright yellow. His mouth opened in surprise. “Alec?” At the sight of him his eyes turned back to his human ones, the tension mostly leaving his body. He cradled the Chairman to his chest and went to greet Alec, who still looked confused.

“What’s wrong, love?” Magnus asked, absentmindedly stroking the Chairman’s fur, his eyes trained on Alec.

“I thought you were hurt,” Alec said, eyes darting around the kitchen to look for signs of what could have happened. “I heard a noise.”

Magnus looked confused for a moment, and then seemed to realize something. “Oh, that.” He said, waving his hand dismissively. “Me and the Chairman had a small disagreement, is all.”

Alec narrowed his eyes, looking between them. “It sounded like someone screaming.”

Alec wasn’t sure if he was imagining it or not, but he thought Magnus was blushing, almost looking a little bashful. Well _that_ was new.

“We… he,” he corrected himself, glaring at the cat in his arms, who seemed to make a point of looking anywhere but at Magnus. “He broke into the pantry, and when I caught him and tried to pick him up, he scratched me.”

Alec looked unamused. “He scratched you? He, this tiny cat, scratched you, the almighty High Warlock of Brooklyn, and you shrieked?”

Magnus looked indignantly at him, finally putting down the Chairman on the floor. Straightening up, he said, “I did not shriek. I simply made a startled noise.”

Alec rolled his eyes, trying to stifle a laugh. “That’s pathet-”

He didn’t finish the word, because without Chairman blocking the view, he could see several long, quite thick gashes running up the inside of Magnus’ left arm.

“Chairman Meow did that?” he gasped, rushing over and gently turning over Magnus’ arm, inspecting the wounds.

Magnus sighed. “I’m afraid so. He can get quite attached to his food.”

“By the Angel, how hungry could he have been?” Alec gasped, still staring at the wound. Squaring his shoulders, he said, “I’ll take care of it.”

Magnus retracted his arm and shook his head. “I’m alright, Alec, I-”

“No arguing,” Alec snapped, and Magnus’ eyes widened at the harsh tone. He grabbed hold of Magnus’ uninjured arm and dragged him over to the couch in the living room, pushing Magnus down on it. “Stay here,” he ordered and disappeared to the bathroom. He was back within seconds, carrying a small red box.

Magnus rolled his eyes. “Alexander, really?”

Alec sat down next to him and shushed him. “If you argue, it’ll take longer.”

Magnus sighed exasperatedly. “You don’t understand, I-”

Alec fixed him with a sharp glare, and it was enough to make Magnus shut his mouth. Alec felt quite pleased at being able to shut up someone so powerful as Magnus Bane, but it only lasted a second before he made himself to focus on cleaning the wound.

Magnus sat silently and watched Alec work, but Alec could tell he still had things to say. He ignored it for now, figuring Magnus would yell at him later if he wanted to.

When the wounds were clean, he tore off a bit of bandage and wrapped it around the arm, making sure it was secured before he sat back and admired his handiwork. When he looked up, Magnus’ eyes were still firmly trained on him, but his pupils were dark and blown wide.

Alec furrowed his brow, touching the back of his hand to Magnus’ forehead. He wasn’t sick, was he? Did warlocks even get sick? He wasn’t sure.

“So, Alexander. Are you quite finished?” Magnus finally asked, indicating his bandaged arm. “Am I allowed to speak?”

Alec blushed slightly, but nodded. “Yes, I suppose you are.”

Magnus didn’t, though. Instead he leaned into Alec’s personal space, his uninjured hand sneaking up to rest at the nape of his neck, and pulled Alec towards him. The kiss surprised Alec, but that wasn’t new. What was new was the heat and fervor that Magnus kissed him with. He was usually so gentle when they kissed, so sweet and careful. Well, except for when they had sex, but that was a different situation entirely, and Alec would usually have to coax it out of him even then. Sometimes it seemed like his lover was frightened of breaking him.

But this… this intensity, without any foreplay, surprised him, and froze him to the spot. It took several seconds before he was able to control his limbs again, and quickly move the medical supplies from his lap so he could climb onto Magnus’ lap and connect their lips again. The position was awkward, with Magnus being shorter than him, but for now Alec didn’t care. He didn’t know what had gotten into Magnus, but he wasn’t going to waste it.

Magnus was murmuring words against his lips, but Alec couldn’t make them out. He stopped trying after a while, and decided that tasting Magnus was more important. His mouth opened willingly, his tongue roughly meeting Alec’s. Magnus’ hands were travelling up Alec’s back, from his hips up to his shoulder blades, slipping under his shirt and tracing over his skin.

Alec hated oxygen, he really did. He would gladly die if it meant he could just kiss Magnus a little bit longer, have him this close a few more minutes. But then Magnus broke them apart and heaved in a deep breath, eyes never leaving Alec’s. Alec tried to dive right back in, but Magnus simply pecked his lips and gave a gentle tug to the hair at the back of Alec’s neck.

“This can’t be comfortable for you,” he said, indicating their position. 

Alec hadn’t considered it, but when it was brought up, he felt his neck stinging at being bent at such an awkward angle.

“I don’t care,” he breathed, diving in to press a wet kiss to Magnus jaw. Magnus just chuckled, and gently flipped them over, removing the towel from his head and letting it fall to the floor, in one fluid move. His semi-wet hair fell beneath his ears, and Alec's hand immediately reached over to tuck it behind his ear, sliding his hand down to rest against Magnus' neck. He could feel the pulse beneath his touch, and was surprised at how it raced. No matter how many times Magnus proved his attraction to him, it always seemed too good to be true.

As if sensing his thoughts, Magnus bent down to press a soft, featherlight kiss to the tip of Alec's nose, only to then straddle Alec’s lap and grinding down against him, biting his lip.

“Okay,” Alec gasped, looking up at him, “this is better.”

Magnus grinned, his eyes twinkling. His resemblance to the Cheshire cat was striking, Alec thought briefly, before his gaze fell on Magnus’ pink lips. Right.

Magnus followed his gaze and smiled, mercifully closing the distance between them.

Alec may not know how desirable he was to Magnus, but Magnus was very well aware of his own magnetism. It's one of the many things Alec admired about him.

He rolled his hips a bit, drawing a low moan from the man under him. Alec responded by smoothing his hands over the soft skin on Magnus' hips, and tracing the line of his hip bone until right to the rim of his boxers, teasingly letting his fingers skim the edge without ever going over it.

Magnus groaned and bent down to kiss him again, hungrily stroking his tongue against Alec's. He nipped at Alec's bottom lip, then pressing tiny, soft kisses to it to soothe the skin.

"You. Are. So. Infuriating," he said, each word punctuated with a kiss.

"In a good way?" Alec asked, matching Magnus' hunger in each kiss.

"Always," Magnus mumbled against his mouth. Instead of kissing him, however, he sat back on his heels and watched Alec thoughtfully.

Alec whined, digging his fingers into Magnus’ hips. “What now?” Then, as he remembered what had brought them to the couch, he flew up, almost knocking Magnus off his lap. “Does it hurt?”

Magnus laughed softly, shaking his head. “It’s not that.” He considered his words for a moment, and then continued, “I would just like to thank you.”

Alec stiffened at that, confusion clear in his features. “For what?”

“For caring for me,” Magnus said, his voice softer than the silk in his robe. “For worrying.”

Alec’s face softened too, thumb caressing Magnus hip. “Of course I do.”

“You are very sweet, trying to patch me up,” Magnus continued, “and I appreciate the sentiment, I do.” 

Alec nodded, his eyebrows furrowing together. Where was he going with this?

“But considering where this is going,” Magnus said, ever-so-slightly rubbing down against the obvious strain in Alec’s jeans, smiling slightly as Alec’s cheeks flushed pink, “I am afraid I’ll have to tell you what you wouldn’t let me say earlier.”

“Alright,” Alec said patiently. “What is it?”

Magnus smiled. “While mundanes rely on bandages and stitches to keep them together, and you on your runes, for a warlock it is much more effective to use magic.” 

Alec’s blush turned three shades darker. Of course. That’s why Magnus had tried to stop him. Not because he undervalued his injury, but because using magic was a much quicker way of healing him. He was so stupid. Of course Magnus laughed at him, of course he-

Magnus delicate fingers tipped his chin up, encouraging him to meet his eye. “I love how deeply you care, Alexander,” he said quietly, so sincerily that Alec shivered beneath him. “I adore you, and I never want you to doubt that.”

Alec blinked, his eyes threatening to spill over with tears. He blinked them away, nodding slowly. “I… adore you, too,” he said hesitantly.

Magnus’ eyes fluttered shut, and a small sigh escaped his parted lips. Alec decided then and there that it was his mission in life to never let that happiness be wiped off Magnus’ face.

When Magnus opened his eyes again, he leaned down and stole a quick kiss, before he elegantly slid off Alec’s lap. Standing, he offered Alec his hand.

Before accepting it, Alec took a moment to let his eyes wander up Magnus’ form. He wasn’t wearing any make-up, his robe was wrinkled and askew, and his still damp hair was mussed up and well below his ears when it wasn’t coiffed up and gelled through. Despite it all, he still looked as radiant as ever, and Alec wondered to himself if this was how Magnus saw him every day too. With or without a carefully laid facade, he was still just as beautiful.

Magnus searched his face for a clue as to what was going on inside his head, but Alec shook himself out of his thoughts before he’d made any progress.

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly, letting Magnus help him to his feet and pressing a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth as they were level. “Let’s fix you up.”

Magnus smiled and turned, sauntering off to prepare. The swing of his hips as he left was mesmerizing, and the laugh from the other side of the apartment made it clear Magnus knew it too.

  
\----------- 

  
The next morning, Alec was preparing breakfast for the both of them - a result of “oh, you don’t have to”’s and “well, I did make you come twice last night, so maybe it’s only fair”’s earlier that morning. He had decided on pancakes, shuddering as he remembered the last time he’d had any. They had been Isabelles concoction, and how she had managed to screw up something so simple was beyond him. He might not be a genius in the kitchen, but he knew how to make some decent pancakes. At least he hoped so.

When he opened the door to the pantry to find some flour, a package of catnip fell out. Alec bent down to pick it up and only with his well-honed Shadowhunter reflexes did he manage to escape a set of claws to his face as the Chairman pounced at the package, tearing it open with his teeth like a rabid dog.

“What the-” he gasped, quickly debating what to do.

Magnus had apparently heard the debacle and came rushing into the kitchen, only wearing boxers, and his hair was standing up in every other direction. Despite the shock of what just happened, Alec couldn’t help but grin at the view.

“What is going on?” Magnus demanded, looking between Alec and Chairman Meow.

“I don’t know,” Alec said, turning back to the Chairman. “I dropped the catnip and he just went nuts. I knew it was like a drug for cats but I didn’t think-”

Magnus put a calming hand on his arm. “Don’t fret, darling,” he mumbled, looking down at the scene beneath them. Chairman Meow was still ripping at the package, rubbing his face into the catnip and hissing every now and then.

“I might have something to do with this,” Magnus said carefully, after a few moments of them just staring at the cat.

Alec slowly turned towards him. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

Magnus grinned weakly. “Well, I do believe some of my magic might have… affected the catnip by accident. That would explain his lashing out yesterday, too...”

Alec groaned. “Have I not told you to be more careful?”

Magnus fixed him with a glare. “Alexander, my dear, I have been alive for more than 400 years. I do believe I have a greater knowledge of my capabilities than you do.”

Alec rolled his eyes. Whenever Magnus brought out the “Alexander” and “400 years” arguments, the debate was more or less settled.

“I don’t care. Just deal with it,” he said and turned on his heel. Then, deciding that he didn’t want to spend the rest of the day with this pettiness between them, he decided to steel himself and not let his inferiority complex run his life. He went back and placed a kiss at the nape of Magnus’ neck, making him jump slightly. Alec would be lying if he said it didn’t give him some childish sense of accomplishment.

“When you’re done with breakfast, I’ll be waiting in bed,” he whispered, and Magnus laughed out loud, spinning around and pulling Alec into his arms, eyes twinkling. It was amazing how quickly his mood could change.

Magnus leaned in for a kiss, and Alec obliged happily. He playfully dragged his teeth over Magnus' lip, and then smoothly disentangled himself from Magnus' arms, earning a disgruntled noise.

“You are lucky you are so enchanting, Alexander Lightwood,” he murmured, rewarded by a small laugh from Alec as he disappeared to the bedroom, pulling off his shirt as he went, never one to go back on a promise.

Magnus smiled to himself as he watched him leave, thanking the powers of the universe, maybe even fate - not that he really believed in that sort of thing - for having Alec be alive at this specific point in time.

He might have loved before, fiercely and truly, but it never felt quite like this.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic I've published in, like, years?? 1 year at least.... maybe... and I couldn't find a beta so pls be gentle with me.
> 
> oh and you can find me over at sassymontys @ tumblr
> 
> xx


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